A Dark Past
by LisLilienfeld
Summary: We all know the pure and brave Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age and part of the golden trio. But what if there once was a different Hermione? Nearly nobody remembers the time in which 'Granger' was the name of a proud pureblood family and that this specific family had a little girl with the name Hermione. She soon became friends with the later feared Dark Lord.
1. Her first year - The Beginning

Every Night and every Morn  
Some to Misery are Born.

Every Morn and every Night  
Some are Born to sweet Delight.

Some are Born to sweet Delight,  
Some are born to Endless Night.

William Blake

 **The Beggining**

 **-1-**

She woke up as the sun softly kissed her fair skin.

The girl smiled, still asleep...and as you saw her there, laying in her bed, the first thing you would do, is to compare her to a sweet little princess.

But then, out of nothing, the peace was disturbed by the horrific high voice of a woman: 'Get out of my way, elf! I'll wake her up myself today.'

The door to the sleeping girl's chamber was opened. 'Hermione!', the woman yelled while opening the enormous window beside the bed. 'Get up!'

But Hermione just smiled lightly and turned away. What day could be important enough to disturb her wonderful sleep?, she wondered.

In that moment she suddenly knew.

 _Hogwarts._

The young and pretty daughter of the very privileged Granger family opened her eyes in shock. _Hogwarts_. She would go to Hogwarts for the first time in her life! And although she knew the castle from stories and tales...'There will be magic and light everywhere! Can you imagine, mother?', she sighted nervous. Since she had been old enough to read, she had searched for every single information about this place and now she would finally be able to proof if everything was true!

'I don't have to imagine anything. Get up, or the train departs without you.'

Mrs. Granger was already at the door when she finished speaking as both, her and her daughter, murmured 'They wouldn't dare.' The woman's face at once lighted up as she smiled to her girl, proud that she finally seemed to have understood that she belonged to one of the most important families in Great Britain. Her daughter on the other side simply smiled because she started to like the feeling of making her mother, and with her their family, proud.

Hermione quickly put her custom-made school uniform on and then tried to brush her hair, which she, as always, couldn't manage. Kasy, her house elf, took over this duty with magic.

Downstairs, in the dining hall, the breakfast had already been served. 'Good morning, father.', she said and gave the man, who sat at the end of the table, a light kiss on the cheek.

'Good morning, mother.', she broke the silence once more, turning around and repeating the procedure. Just after that she took place opposite of her mother and started eating. They didn't talk much, it wasn't as if it was necessary, but for an excited child it was nearly impossible to maintain. 

Mr Granger was a tall and aristocratic looking man, elegant over and over. He cultivated the elite wizarding robes, just as he worshiped the colour of his Hogwarts House – which, obviously, was green. His wife, Asteropeth Granger, a former Rosier, had a just as breathtaking appearance as he had, but she embodied an elfin like grace in her slender physique he couldn't imitate, even if he tried.

Their daughter was a wild and awaken child. She wasn't savage, although her hair could make you think otherwise, and she wasn't unintelligent either. To be sincere, she seemed like a petite happy girl, pure in her heart and soul.


	2. Her first year - Being Welcomed

**Being Welcomed**

 **-2-**

As Hermione saw Hogwarts for the first time, she felt pure joy.

Anticipation.

And the smile became a grin.

She stroke one of her cheeky curls eagerly behind her ear as her name sounded.

 _Granger,_ _Hermione Sigyn._

Professor Dumbledore, the deputy headmaster, looked at her expectantly. Shortly thereafter, the sorting hat was on her head and whispered into her ears.

'A small Granger, _yesyes._ ' After what seemed like a long while for her, he continued: 'A summer's child you are... _pure_ _viridity._..but you need loyal friends and you are smart too... And your family, you do not want to disappoint them, am I right?' He feĺl silent again, then he screamed. Just one word.

'SLYTHERIN!'

The girl stood up hesitantly and walked towards the applauding table. A proud smile appeared on her lips, her parents would be pleased to hear the good news. In the case of the Slytherins, she was accepted joyfully, and sincerely.

Her first days at the castle were the most magical ones.  
The girls of her dormitory were _nice._ Till now nothing bad had happened between them, but Hermione had the strange feeling that the mouse-brown haired twins weren't trustworthy at all.  
They were Averys, maybe that explained it.  
The fourth girl of her dormitory had presented herself as Bellarose Snow and seemed to be open hearted and very friendly. Hermione liked her from the very start.

In the first weeks the two of them had little adventurouse nights, discovering and exploring the castle with its magic hidden behind every corner.  
But as the weeks passed petite Granger was confronted with school every day more than before and found herself captured in the library. With time she even began to flee into the calmness and safety books granted her.

It was one day at the beginning of december as she sat down on one of the library tables, freezing and tired. Bellarose laid down her things beside her friend and began to look for the books they needed fot their potions homework.  
'Come on, Mione. We finish homework and then you can go and relax a bit, yes?', Rose said.  
'Relaxing isn't enough for me anymore. I need to sleep for a couple of days to be my old me again.', Hermione responded nearly sleeping already.  
The other girl sighted, but sat down anyways. For a moment everything was silent, because they read, but the curly haired soon let out a frustrated groan. 'I'm very sorry, but I can't. Good night.', she hissed and packed her things together.

Rose smiled lightly but said nothing.

Just as Hermione wanted to open the huge doors, they swung open and a boy of the second year stood infront of her. She paralized, startled, but then calmed down, as she saw that is was a boy of her house. 'Good night.', she said, looking expectantly at him, waiting for him to let her pass. The older one, who hadn't lowered his gaze upon her, moved rather slowly to the side and bowed his head lightly. 'A good night to you as well.'

She gave him a quick smile and hurried away from him.

The Slytherin common room was full, but Hermione's dormitory was empty - to her delightness. Soon she laid in her bed, sleeping and dreaming.

The next day, a friday, started quite late.  
'Hermione! Wake up now or I'll leave without you!'  
There was grumbeling from under the cheets.  
'Slughorn just started to like you, don't take it for too granted.'  
That was a point and a good enough reason to open her eyes... but not good enough to stand up once and for all. 'Which time is it?', she mumbled.  
'You have 7 minutes', Rose stated nonchallantly.

Hermione stormed out of potions. She was frustrated and angry. How could it possibly be that one of this Avery's, who did it all wrong, managed to brow the 'confusing-potion' so well?  
'I swear to you, I saw how she cut the fluxweed. She should have pressed it, like I did. It says so in the book!', she hushed to Rose. 'But that is it, Mione! It is a potion to confuse people, you can't brow it correctly because if you do, it isn't confusing.', the black haired answered. Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again. That made _sense._

Just in that moment she looked up and met the dark green gaze of a boy who started walking beside her. It was the one from yesterday night. She wanted to turn to Rose to ask her, if she knew him, but was interrupted when he started to speak.

'I wanted to apologize for my last evenings behaviour. May I ask your name?'  
She was mentally paralized. What was happening? The only thing she _truly_ had heard was the mellifluous voice he had. The words he had spoken just came through to her after a while longer.

'There is no need to apologize.', she answered cooly, as always when she felt insecure. What was he even apologizing for?

'My name is Hermione Granger, and you are?' She looked up to him again.  
He smiled lightly and something about it felt wrong. Really wrong. But at the same time she noticed the looks from the people around her and she liked it. _Jeallousy. Envy._

He took her hand in his and bowed slightly, not breaking the eye contact, as he kissed it lightly.

'My name is Tom Riddle, Miss Granger.'

 _Tom Riddle._


	3. Her first year - Finding A Soul

**Finding A Soul**

 **-3-**

At the night of the same day Hermione found herself laying in her bed and thinking about the older boy.

She couldn't understand how his presence had made her feel so superior to others. In the moment she had been with him it had felt so good, but now... now she ached for a hot bath so she could rub off all the dirt.

She tried to sleep, but her toughts were keeping her awake. So she sat up after a while longer and walked to one of the high windows of her dormitory. In that moment she was happy that only the common room of her house was under the ground, not including the resting chambers.

The moon shone its silver light down on her as she searched for comfort in it, sitting down on the windowsill and closing her eyes, nearly smiling.

'Hermione?', a voice whispered from one of the beds.

'Yes?', she asked in an equally low tone. She heard movements and tiptoes moving over the cold floor. Seconds later Bellarose sat opposite of her.

'Why aren't you sleeping?', Rose asked.

'I'm not really tired.'

The curly haired new that Rose gave her a disbelieving look, but she only had eyes for the beauty of the moon.

'Is it because of _Tom_ _Riddle_?' Bella said his name as if it was a secret, something forbidden, tempting.

Hermione for an instant froze in her admiration. She hoped that her friend hadn't seen it so she just said: 'The second year? Why shouldn't I be sleeping because of him?'

There was silence, before Rose rised her voice again. 'I know you, Herm.. or at least I believe I do. I saw how you reacted to him and I also know how many tried to get his attention in the past-'

Hermione interrupted her by making an amused sound.

Rose rose one eyebrow but continued either way.

'I mean it, Sigyn!' Hermione imediatly knew that the girl was beeing serious and remained still. The other Slytherin had never used her second name before.

'His charisma is like a drug for many. They crave for his attention. But you did nothing, Herm, and even so he gave you more than to the ones who tried to please him.'

Some time passed in which the sound of their breathing barely could be heard, before Hermione replied. 'But there is nothing special about me.' It was as if she had said it to herself, then, a bit louder she continued: 'I mean... I belong to a great family. I know that, but there are many who belong to rich and powerful ones.' Rose shook her head and smiled lightly.

'It isn't about your family. It's about you. I guess we'll find out soon enough what exactly it is he sees, but it only can be about you.'

And with that they both looked up to the moon again, the only witness of their conversation.

As the next day was a saturday, everyone slept nearly till midday. Not so Hermione and Bellarose, who, despite their late night talk, woke up quite early, but with different intentions.

Rose wanted to enjoy a long bubble bath without all the other first years around her while reading an historic and romantic muggle book. She had changed the cover of the book because of Grindelwald and his followers. They could be found everywhere these days.

Hermione on the other hand wanted to finish her homework in the library.

The young girl therefore was the only one in the quiet paradise. As she finished with what she had to do, she wandered along the bookshelves and lost herself in her thoughts.

Suddenly she saw someone at the other side of the corridor she was in and was patheticaly shocked. Hermione rolled her eyes at her own behaviour but hid in the shadows nonetheless.

She couldn't explain why she concealed herself from him.

Maybe she didn't know how to act infront of him after last nights conversation with Rose..

Because the boy standing there obviously was Tom Riddle.

She used her hiding spot to have a closer look at him. Everything about him seemed perfectly normal, or at least at first. Hermione noticed the fact that he must be twelve but acted way older. His hair was too flawless for a saturday morning, his movements too grown-up and he wore his school uniform.

The boy left the book in its place and went, not looking around. Hermione, pushed by her curiousness, took the book and moved to a table near a fireplace. She dearly wanted to know something about him but what exactly had made her believe that the book he read, revealed something about his character? That was what she thought just moments after opening it, deceived.

It was about the sacred 28 pureblood families - a book that also could be found in the library of her family manor.

She sighted disappointed and leaned back in her seat.

'What are you reading?'

He made her cringe and smiled diffidently down on her.

His gaze was so innocent. She hated him for it.

'May I sit?', he asked as she didn't answer. She nodded.

'Do you know why I read the book?', he continued. He knew it. Riddle knew which book that was and that she had watched him.

'Did you?', Hermione replied nevertheless, acting surprised.

'Don't fool me. I saw you.' His smile iced while saying it.

'Did you?', the girl repeated.

He looked at her as if he saw her for the first time.

And he smiled sincerely.


	4. Her First Year - Changes Initiate

Changes Initiate

-4-

As the days passed, Hermione saw herself confronted more and more with Tom Riddle.

She simply could not forget him and not think about him.

He was a mystery she dearly wanted to solve, like she had solved many mysteries before. And as she told Rose about it and tried to figure out why she was loosing herself, she understood, that the only fascinating thing about him was that she, as a matter of fact, knew nothing.

And knowing nothing wasn't an option.

But she wasn't one of those honourless girls who craved vehemently for his attention.

Hermione had class and taste and was marvellously brilliant, she would never scale down to such a low lewel.

Tom Riddle found her interesting. Not in a way of attraction, but because her grades were as good as his had been in his first year. That was, he thought, remarkable.

Even so... her grades weren't the reason he searched for her proximity. He simply wanted to be with her because she was intelligent and in possesion of an awaken mind and wasn't as imbecile as all the others. She seemed worthy of his time.

And she truly was.

Most of the time they spent together they didn't talk, but sat opposite of each other in the library, reading and doing their homework. If one of them found something interesting while reading, they showed it to the other one and often ended up having a conversation about the topic or simply laughed. If one had a question, they asked each other and if they knew, they explained. If they didn't know the answer, they searched for it together.

Days passed and became weeks and Hermione began to admit that she trusted him.

Weeks became months and they became friends.

She was the first person Tom Riddle ever called a friend.

And she should stay the only one till his death.

Hermione and Bella sat at the Slytherin-table for dinner. It was noisy as ever but simultaneously the best of smells hang in the air and made the atmosphere unique.

Oh Merlin, how she loved this place.

"What is wrong with Bellarose?", Tom asked, whispering in her ear, leaning towards her. He sat beside her as it had become his habit. The girl took a look at Bella who sat opposite of her. She had noticed it, too, but contrary to Tom she knew the reason of her friends strange behaviour.

With a little smirk she replied. "She's in love."

Yes, Bellarose had fallen in love, as any idiot could have easily seen. The brunette didn't eat because of her nervousness of being so near to her loved one. She couldn't control herself but kept looking at the boy about Toms age.

"Please tell me it isn't Brysen Malfoy." Tom couldn't contain his typical little laugh when he found out something embarassing about somebody he knew as he followed Bellas gazes.

Before Hermione had a chance to reply, Bella focused on the two of them. "I told you not to tell anyone!", she hissed. The young Granger lowered her head, ashamed but somehow not regretting anything. Before she had a chance to worsen the whole situation, Tom interfered, distracting.

"But Bella, I wouldn't dare to tell anyone." He smoothly said, smiling his charming fake smile. Hermione hated it. "Besides...", he continued, "I know him."

"So what?", the brunette snapped.

"So...", he explained as if he was talking to a child, "I could introduce you to each other."

Suddenly Bella became silent, considering the offer.

"We'll see.", she replied and stood up, leaving the Great Hall.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Both, Tom and her, knew that the girl was insanely in love and would be more than pleased if Tom did as he offered. But both also knew that her pride forbid her to show her gratfulness. Besides... she wasn't fond of Tom.

Lately the two girls had argued often because of this topic. Bella felt left behind, she feared that Hermione would fall for the dark boy and become one of his blind admirers. It was quite unbelievable how many girls had fallen for him already. Who would believe you if you stated that a twelve year old made fourteen year olds cry? No one.

But Hermione wasn't like the others. She liked him because he was an intelligent boy. He never talked more than he needed to (at least when they were alone) and he had a great sarcasm to his remarcs. He adored to play with his power over others. It amused her how her schoolfellows played by his rules every time.

"Excuse me, I'll go to the common room.", Hermione said with a look towards Tom.

He knew she left because of Bella, but he didn't say anything and instead gave her an eye rolling look.

As the girl walked through the portal of her Hogwartshouse, she instantly searched for her friend. Bellarose sat infront of one of the windows facing the dephts of the black lake, waiting for the curly haired. Hermione needed a moment to decide, but then turned around and went to their room.

Tom was right. And she was tired of arguing.

Why couldn't Bella accept the fact that Tom was her friend, too?

She sighted.

Hermione went home for Christmas. During their time in the Hogwarts Express everything was wonderful. Maybe it was because Tom stayed in the castle and Bella had the feeling of having her friend back. This feeling soon vanished. The girls wrote letters to each other and by the end of the first week Bella and her parents came by for a visit.

Just after closing the door to her room behind her, Hermione started talking. Not about girlish things, but about Tom. "I feel so bad for him! He is all alone in the castle. Why do you think he stayed there?"

Bella sighted, trying to bring her anger under control. "I really don't know. Why don't you ask him?", she answered. Arguing wouldn't lead her to anything, so she solved the problem the easiest way possible: by not adding more wood to the fire. Mione nodded and headed to a different topic, just as the young Snow had hoped she would.

As the vacation ended and the students returned to Hogwarts, Bella tried to get along with the fact that Tom would become part of her daily life again. She nearly growled as she watched Hermione run to the boy who had waited at the train station for her to arrive. The curly haired turned around, making Bella understand with hand signs, that she would walk to the castle with Tom and not climb in in one of the carriages.

The days again passed and became weeks, which then became months.

The summer slowly suppressed the winter.

And the relationship between the three stayed the same.


	5. Her first year - It all Ends

It All Ends

-5-

As days became warmer and school less important, Hermione and Rose used to spend their time on the Hogwarts grounds, laying around, talking and reading. Both, of course, already studied for their next year, not bearing to not learn and not being better than the rest.

"Where's Tom?", Rose asked one afternoon, wondering why the boy who always was at her best friends side suddenly had disappeared for days. It wasn't as if she cared, she prefered having Hermione for herself, but it felt strange - _somehow_.

The other girl didn't look up when she answered. "He's inside, where else?" Rose blinked confused. Hermione obviously was in a bad mood, which meant that she didn't know where Tom was and that she was angry because of it. He hadn't told her.

As it became colder, they went in. "I wonder if they have mousse today.", Hermione said, dwelling in her imagination and smiling at her friend. "I wonder, if they have _framboises_ ", Rose replied. "Because you know, these two good things combined result in heavenly enjoyment." They giggled at the thought of it.

The Slytherins were cheerful, just as the other houses were. In three days they finally could go home for summer holiday and according to that, everyone was in a good mood. It made Hermione even forget the fact that Tom wasn't with her - untill he came, of course.

She didn't see him when he walked towards her, but Rose did. And Rose also instantly felt how unimportant she actually was.

Tom Riddle didn't sit down, he was too excited to remain still.

"Hermione", he whispered in the girl's ear. She recoiled slightly, but when she turned around to face him and saw his glowing, with anticipation filled eyes, all anger was forgotten - not as if she ever would have mentioned it towards him. He needn't to say any more words, so he just grabbed her by the hand and dragged her with him. She left her with mousse filled bowl behind, not even remembering it.

The two ran through the corridors as if their lives depended on it. And Merlin, she couldsense the happiness and simultaneous nervousness raddiating off of Tom. It surrounded them both and made her feel as if on an adventure.

"Tell me, Tom! What is it? Could you do it?", she burst with curiosity.

"Wait for it.", was the only answer she got.

They entered a dark room in the fifth floor, a place where nearly nobody lost his way at this time of the day. With a flick of Tom's wand the lamps illuminated and revealed a table-and chairless classroom. On the floor there were objects arranged in a circle, in which the boy stepped and turned to face her.

"Oh, wait!", he exclaimed. Tom reached out to give her his wand.

"Yes, right.", she confirmed and took it.

Wandless magic.

He then returned to the middle. His eyes closed.

He opened his arms. For a moment he held still, then he made an upward movement.

Hermione breathed out in excitement as she felt the magic in the room. It was breathtaking. In the same moment as she bathed in his magic, the objects around him started to float. At first they stayed a few feet over the floor, then they went higher until his shoulders height. Tom opened his eyes. He smiled at her proudly and in a way only a wizard could smile who felt his own magical power.

She returned the smile in the same way, because she, in this very moment, could feel what he felt. _And it was beyond great._

Tom's smile grew wider as he started to play with the objects, arranging them spirally, extending the circle, shrinking it again, until dropping them.

They then just stood there with half closed eyes and enjoyed the intoxicant feeling of the magic around them. When they came to themselves again, they decided to go to their common room. On the way to the dungeons they didn't say a word. The dizziness still ruled over them.

The Slytherin common room was crowded, but they managed to find a place by the windows. Tom and Hermione just sat there for a while, before he started talking, susurrating in her ear, making sure she was the only one who heard him.

"I told you that I could move objects before, and I told you that I only could do it because I practised." She nodded, remembering. "I lied.", he explained. Before she could say anything, he continued: "Listen, please."

She was angry, furious, how dared he?

"I could move things before getting my wand. Back then everyone told me that nobody should know, because being this powerful is dangerous." She still didn't look at him, so he continued. "Hermione, please-", the girl interrupted him. "So you must belong to a very powerful family, but I'm afraid there is no pureblood family with the name Riddle, or am I mistaken?" He breathed to respond, but she just had waited for it, so she could interrupt him. "I warn you, do not lie to me again." She was calm and cold, just as she had been brought up to be.

Meanwhile he felt uncharacteristically guilty. But he was determined to not tell her. Not now.

"I won't.", he said.

With that he stood up and retired for the night, not looking back or apologising for anything.

And in the exact same way they parted into the holiday.


	6. Her first year - The Summer Holiday

As Tom arrived at King's Cross, he talked with his 'friends' and their families for a while, pretending to be waiting for his own parents, which he - obviously - wasn't. Instead he just waited till most of the students went, so he could leave the station and slowly walk through Muggle-London and to his orphanage.

The boy wished to delay the time of his arrival as much as he could, but even with slowing down his steps and taking detours, he arrived in the late afternoon.

Wool's Orphanage wasn't exactly what one would call a great or beautiful home. On the contrary: it was horrific. And now it became even worse because of the war.

Children got lost, parents and familiars were killed, or mothers couldn't care for them anymore... so where were they brought to? Yes, to the orphanages.

Tom found the ignorance of the wizard minority incredible. They lived in their little magic bubble and just... they just ignored it. If they wanted to, they could end all this within hours. How could they have the arrogance to claim that they didn't know about the miserable state in which London and the rest of the country and even Europe was?

If he could, he would help. But he was too young to tell authorities what to do. Yet.One day they would suffer for not helping altough they could have done it.

He had to, just as he had assumed it would happen, share his room with four more boys. Tom Riddle didn't look up as he walked towards his bed. And they, just as he had suspected they would, behaved like hungry animals - not thinking about the consequences of their comportment.

''What do you think you are doing, bloke?'', the one to his right asked.

''Yeah, who do ya think y'are t' just enter her' and don't show som' respect?'', another continued.

Tom sighted and closed his eyes. He really was too tired for that kind of underclass conversation. ''Now listen.'', he began with his deadly calm voice. ''The only one who deserves respect in here is me. Respect me and you'll be able to sleep well. Don't and I'll show you what you deserve.''

One of the boys laughed. They were older than him and seemed to be very brutal and lowbow, but Tom was angry and not in the mood to cooperate as the weak victim they searched for. Therefore they winced in pain just one blinc of his eyes later.

The handsome boy and young Riddle smiled slightly and satisfied. One more time justice had won and one more time he was greatful and proud for his extraordinary magical abilities.

He might have looked like an elite class boy who has been spoilt his whole life (because of his Hogwarts uniform and his impecable hair) but his arrogance came from his knowlege, not his money. The boys learned this the uncomfortable way.

This and the remaining nights he slept well and even dreamt of beautiful things.

Hermione Granger - one of those beauties - found herself in her bed at the same time. She, contrary to the boy, couldn't sleep at all. There was too much energy flowing through her vains that kept her awake. The past year appeared before her closed eyes and it seemed like a dream for her. How long had Hogwarts been unreachable? And now, one year after getting the letter, it still seemed unreal. Yes, she had grown up in a magical family where supernatural events weren't unusual, but even so... the castle's magic was magnificent. It was more than she had hoped for.

She refused to write Tom, altough it hurt. He had lied to her! How would it look like if she wrote him first? Ridiculous.But now, in the calmness of her room, she started to question why he had lied. Yes, his magical abilities seemed to be above the usual ones of people at their age, but she was his friend... Right? What had been the reason for his decision to let her believe he was 'ordinary'?

The solution she found was the only possible explanation and it warmed her heart, but at the same time it hurt her pride. Hadn't he told her because he hadn't wanted to hurt her? Had he done it out of deference to her? Because he did not want her to feel he was superior to her?

While thinking about it she fell asleep.

Rose and Hermione met up quite often and grew to be very good friends. By the end of the third week of August, the young Granger was invited to Rose's birthday feast. It was an enormeous convention to which nearly every Slytherin of their year, some of the year above them and children of whealty wizard families were welcomed. It was great to see their friends from Hogwarts out of school.

By the time Hermione arrived at the gathering, Tom Riddle had been out of her mind for weeks... thanks to Rose.

The girl with the savage hair leaned against a table loaded with food and looked at the yelling and laughing children. The parents were in another hall where they had a party for themselves.

"I thought we could fool them all by using some magic, what to you think?"

Hermione's head snapped to her right to look at the boy who had brought up this tempting offer. She couldn't help it but smile.

"Hello Tom", she said in her soft voice. Both noticed that the other one had grown over the time they hadn't seen each other.

"So you think the ministry won't be able to tell it was us, if we practise some magic around other kids?", she continued after seeing happily how Tom effortlessly returned her smile.

"Yeah", he said and reached for a chocolate praline. "Raspberry or mousse?", he asked while inspecting the little delicacies.

"Raspberry", Hermione said. He reached for the mousse one. The girl nearly rolled her eyes at his provocing behaviour, but then she understood that he had asked her so he could take the sort she didn't want. She took the raspberry praline he offered her, the only one left.

In the moment their eyes met, Tom did something she would never forget.

"Forgive me, Hermione."

She gave him a radiant smile. Now this was for him something he would never be able to forget.

"Shall we?", she asked, nodding to the children. He returned her now wicked grin.

"We shall."

The kids weren't aware of what was yet to come.


End file.
